


Pride in isolation

by Yougaythen



Category: Ballum, EastEnders
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24965287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yougaythen/pseuds/Yougaythen
Summary: When pride falls in isolation it’s up to Ben to make it special, a reveal from Lexi and a promise from Ben makes it the most special first out pride for Callum
Relationships: Ballum - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Pride in isolation

Outside had been getting hotter, the days dragging out towards summer and the longing to be back out with everyone celebrating, the first drinks in Sharon’s ownership yet to be poured and drank, the roads lie empty below them, the government's rules of lockdown really taking their toll on everyone around the square. Just before official lockdown started they were in the process of moving house, leaving behind their tiny flat full of memories and out into their own house, at first it seemed so quiet, no sounds of little abi crying through the night, no noise from downstairs and the absence of Stuart and Rainie more evident than ever. Kathy wanting them to stay with her saying something about how she wanted Ben to be her baby for the last time but, he knew he had to stay with Callum in the new place, the place they now called home. 

FaceTime fast became their preferred way of talking, being able to talk to multiple people at once, getting together in the groups like they would had lockdown not have been imposed, bedtime stories to Lexi fast becoming normal through a screen, both Ben and Callum taking it in turns to read until she was asleep, blowing kisses towards her, if Ben was honest not being able to see Lexi was the hardest part, her becoming the most constant in his life, the running to him at the school gates and the early morning bed snuggles, were just some of what he missed. 

Pulling out his phone and bringing up Lola’s name he rang her, hoping to chat to Lexi before her homeschool work started, “Daddy” her voice calls, “Ben what are you doing this weekend? We know that we can’t come to you but it would have been Pride this weekend and I think you and Callum should celebrate properly, like have a little party for you two and we can call, throw an indoor party, Jays found out some stuff he can drop round on his way to get the shopping if you like, surprise Callum” “Are you sure that’s this weekend Lo I thought it was next” “It’s definitely this weekend Ben, please let’s make his first out pride really special yeah? Lexi wants to talk to you” “Hello princess, we really miss you” “Where’s Cal” her voice low, “I think he’s still asleep, you want to wake him up?” He’s returning already walking up the stairs into their bedroom, “Cal, wake up, wake up” her little voice calls while Ben gently pokes him, leaning down to place a kiss on his head, “Sit up and I’ll come sit with you, little one here wants to talk to you” “I’m not little daddy, I’m a big girl now, mum says I’ve grown so much and Jay. They’ve done a bit of my room to make it more bigger, do you want to see” “Alright but only if mum says so” Ben’s smiling, interlocking his fingers with Callum’s atop the duvet. Taking the phone upstairs Lexi shows them around her new room, painted a delicate grey colour, almost mirroring that of their own, with a magical forest upon the wall opposite her bed, scattered bookshelves, and photos with the largest mound of soft toys either of them have ever seen. “Mummy and Jay have a secret” she’s spilling, placing herself down on her bed and bringing the rabbit they gave her into her lap “She says I can’t tell anyone about it, that it just has to be between us three but I always thought she was telling you no secrets” “Well don’t you telling us, if she wants us to know she’ll tell us okay”  
They finish up the conversation, passing the phone back to Lola and Ben telling her that he’d take the pride decorations, making the house into their own pride parade. 

By the time Friday night came around, Ben had sorted through the last little bits of home stuff, Callum hanging some prints on the walls and finally they had finished, both exhausted, and a hundred phone calls later and they were finally ready for bed, Jay dropping the decorations off earlier that day, Ben telling Callum it was just a parcel. Once in bed they cuddled for a while, Callum slipping into sleep arms around Ben, slipping out from beneath his arms Ben went downstairs, it wasn’t late, or not as late as it could have been, pulling apart the things Jay brought, a couple of flags, some bunting, two matching door garlands and some partyware, setting it up, pinning the flag to the door to the kitchen and tying one to the bottom of the stairs, putting the porch light on and putting the bunting around the fence around their garden, and popping up the gazebo, placing the chairs around the table underneath, and then heading back inside to get the things ready for breakfast for the morning, and eventually heading back to bed, anything he’d forgotten would just add to the list but the overpowering feeling of just wanting to be with Callum in his arms with him, a world away from the place either of them were in the previous pride. 

Waking up in Callum’s arms was one of Ben’s favourite things, the feeling of being held so gently yet secure, shuffling onto his back and pushing against Callum’s arm stretching out before turning to look at him “Morning babe” voice barely higher than a whisper “Your up early” “Going to make you a special breakfast for your special day aren’t I” “Special day?” His face awash with confusion “Yeah you’ll see, go take a shower and I’ll have breakfast ready, I’ll put some clothes out for you too, then you’ll understand”  
Going into the wardrobe and pulling a pair of grey joggers for both of them and laying Callum’s top down underneath, him sliding himself into fresh clothes abandoning the other on the floor to pick up later, back in the kitchen, phone buzzing “Morning, so did you do it” Lola asks “What do you think?” He says, turning around the camera and showing the room around him “You really know how to do a party” “Is Lexi up?” “Not yet, she was up pretty late last night playing with Jay, you cooking him something nice then?” “Just the usual eggs and toast, his favourite then see where the day takes us” “I’ll message before Lexi rings later alright, you two have fun” 

“Ben what’s this” he hears Callum calling from the bottom of the stairs, leaving the eggs boiling and bread placed in the toaster “Happy pride in isolation babe” “Today?” “Yeah I thought it was next weekend but Lola told me it was this weekend, I know that had things been different we’d be out partying, doing lots of fun things, but instead we are just going to party together, just us, next year we’ll paint the town” “I wouldn’t want anything different, thank you Ben” “So breakfast” “Let’s do it” they interlock hands, a quick kiss and then back into the kitchen. 

Post breakfast, they sat around on the sofa, Callum choosing a film for them to watch, dozing off into the sun beams. Ben’s phone vibrating bringing them out of their sleepy state, “Heya baby, your up now” he says rubbing his eyes “Mummy said it’s your special day, but especially yours Cal” “Did she now, we wish we could be spending it with you though” Callum replies “It’s a special day for mummy too, she said I can tell you her secret now” “Yeah, you sure?” “Yep look at this” she says, holding up a little square photo with white detailing on it, “Mum says I’m going to be a big sister soon, that’s her baby that’s in her tummy just like I was, her and Jay are really happy” “And you” “I’m happy too, mum says she doesn’t know if it’s a boy or a girl but I’m excited for either, I’ll miss being an only child but I get to have a new best friend” she giggles, “Where is your mum?” “In her bedroom do you want me to take you to her” “Yes please princess”. Lexi walks to Lola and Jays room, Lola putting away the washing from the bottom of the bed “I think congratulations are needed for you” Ben calls over to her “Happy pride you two, she told you then, she’s been wanting to tell you since I told her but she understood why she couldn’t” she returns “A baby huh, look at all of us growing up” Callum laughs, “Be you two next” “Not yet Lo we’ve only just officially moved in together a baby is definitely not on any cards yet”  
They talk for a while, all things babies, how things have changed so much from pre Lexi and how none of them would change it, final congratulations were shared then back to the silence of their own home. 

By the time the sun started to fall Ben had cooked Callum some fancy meal put on one of those rainbow plates and they sat in the garden, talking about everything and nothing. “Wait here I have one last surprise” Ben’s saying getting up and heading back inside and into one of the drawers in the spare bedroom pulling out a box containing a promise ring, Callum talking of their commitment to each other prior and Ben couldn’t think of a more special day than to promise himself to Callum, sliding it into his pocket, grabbing the cocktails from the kitchen and putting on some music this was about to be special, “Here take this and just listen for a moment” “Okay” “Ever since I met you babe you were already everything, my heart filled with this feeling I’d been waiting for in what felt like forever, I never thought I’d fall in love again I always thought it wasn’t possible but here we are and I love you more than anything ever Callum. And yeah we’ve both had our mistakes but I think we have both learned that no secrets must mean none and every moment spent with you is my new favourite, you accepted Lexi into your life so perfectly and she loves you so much, our little mess of a family sums us up pretty well I think but it’s too early I think to get married although I know you want to one day but I want to promise my love to you Callum, promise all of me to you so I got this for you, it’s a promise ring until we are ready for that next step in life, what do you say?” He’s not sure when he started crying but Callum’s thumbs coming up to wipe the burning liquid from his face “It’s gorgeous Ben, of course, I love you so much” tears filling his eyes. They rise up, standing together in an embrace and for a moment time stops around them, every little thing led up to this moment “do you want to dance?” “Anything for you”. 

They hold each other close, Ben’s hands finding their way to Callum’s hips and Callum’s arms falling loosely down Ben’s back and they sway to a song neither of them care to identify just wanting to live in the purity of the moment around them, heads pressed together and the occasional kiss framed them so perfectly against the dimmed fairy lights around them. 

Just them in their beautiful home, two hearts conjoined to make a whole, neither of them knowing what the future would hold for either of them but in that moment and forever more they knew they’d have each other and that was more than enough for both of them. Living a world away from the previous pride, now finding happiness, safety and security in each other. The moon casting down on them as they continued to dance into the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I really enjoyed writing this and hopefully you enjoyed reading it. Kudos are appreciated


End file.
